


Murky Waters

by daisychain (seonghwazz)



Series: Murky Waters AU [1]
Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Daggers, F/F, F/M, Gen, Historical Inaccuracy, Swords
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seonghwazz/pseuds/daisychain
Summary: Catherine of Aragon is sick of the whispers. Anne Boleyn longs to prove herself. Jane Seymour just wants to be in control. Anna of Cleves is scared and nervous in a foreign country. Katherine Howard is used and tired.Fate pulls them all together to save Catherine Parr, who is in danger.Not historically accurate at all. My own universe, my rules! TWs will be put in notes accordingly.
Relationships: Katherine Howard/Catherine Parr
Series: Murky Waters AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100834
Comments: 40
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not historically accurate. TW’s will be put in notes accordingly.

“This is your new lady-in-waiting. Her name is Anne Boleyn, and she comes straight from the French court.” Catalina looked the girl up and down, her hand never leaving her husband’s. Anne immediately curtsied, smiling serenely at the queen. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, your majesty.”

Catalina nods, giving the girl a small smile in return. “As it is mine. I’ll have Lady Jane show you to your quarters.” Jane immediately stepped forward and lead Anne out of the room. “How do you like her?” Henry asked. “She seems rather young and lively,” Catalina remarks. “She’ll be a good asset to the court.” The king beams.

“I’m glad to hear that, dear.” Henry kisses Catalina’s cheek before leaving the room. Catalina sighs and returns to her embroidery, the new lady-in-waiting quickly forgotten. She hates having to pretend to like her husband in front of everyone. It’s getting harder each day, too, with all the rumors circulating the court that Henry’s fathered another illegitimate child.

-

“The court is a dangerous place to be,” Jane says gravely, as she leads Anne down the corridor to her quarters. “You must be careful with your words, as people can twist them and use them against you.” Anne nods; she’s had plenty of experience with people like that. “Don’t you worry about me, Lady Jane,” said Anne breezily, “I’ll be perfectly fine.” Jane bites her lip but nods anyway; she’s not sure how long Anne can survive in the court if she’s being so airy about tactics.

“Anyhow, here’s where you’ll stay,” Jane announces, flinging open the doors of Anne’s new room. “Your trunk should be here in a few.” Anne gives Jane a grateful smile. “Thank you, Lady Jane. Your help has been greatly appreciated.” Jane returns the gesture. “You’re welcome, Lady Anne. I’ll be back in a bit to walk you around the castle and alert you of your duties.” Jane gives a shallow curtsy and leaves Anne to her own devices, wandering back to the throne room.

“You’re back,” Catalina says, as Jane slips into the room. “How’s Anne?” 

Jane curtsies and proceeds to tell the queen about her newest assistant. “Anne’s...rather independent,” Jane says. “She’s confident and she knows what she’s doing. I told her to be wary of other court members, but she seems rather experienced in terms of keeping her mouth shut in the company of others.” Catalina nods, satisfied with Jane’s thorough description. Jane picks up the needlework that she had begun and sews in silence with the queen, occasionally exchanging conversation.

“If you don’t mind me asking, your majesty,” Jane starts. “How are your relations with the king?” Catalina looks at Jane, scanning the girl’s face for traces of anything but sincerity. She finds nothing and sighs with relief. “Quite well, Janey,” Catalina responds curtly. Jane’s eyes widen when she realizes that the queen may have implied that her words were of a different meaning. “Your majesty, I didn’t mean anything but well! I’m truly sorry if you’ve taken any offense.”

Catalina brushes Jane off. “I’ve taken no offense at all, Jane. I understand that you truly mean well, but I don’t want to talk about him even during our private sessions.” Jane nods and mentally notes to never ask the queen about the king ever again. 

-

Anne’s trunk arrives a mere few minutes after Jane’s departure. As Anne unpacks, she hears her father’s words ringing in her head. “Infiltrate the British court and make me proud, Anne,” he says. “Show us that women aren’t just limited to being domestic little creatures.” The Anne then had promised him that he’d receive a letter the day after she set foot into court filled with secrets.

“If only spying was that easy,” Anne grumbled under her breath, hanging up her frocks. She set the jewelry box that appears to be stuffed to the brim with necklaces and bracelets on her vanity, fiddling with the lock and pulling the key from her hair. Anne looks around her room nervously and, once sure that she was alone, inserted and twisted the ornate key in the lock.

She opened the box, which was filled with instructions and notes from her father regarding her infiltration plan. Anne was to use her looks and seduce the king out of his secrets; it sounded so easy, but executing the plan would be hard, Anne thinks, with all the security around the palace. Anne groans in frustration and slams the box shut, sinking against the four-poster bed.

This was going to be a long mission. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a kudo and/or comment if you enjoyed this, you don’t need an AO3 account to do so!
> 
> If you ever want to HMU, here’s [My Tumblr](https://magslikesmusicals.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot is moving (and it's moving FAST)
> 
> This is probably the last update I make for a while. I'll need to write up some more chapters in order to feel comfortable with updating like, twice every week? So; au revoir for a bit!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW//alcohol, Henry screams at Catalina for not being able to provide him an heir

Anne’s been lying low for the past week, which was why she was surprised when she was told that the queen was requesting her presence in the throne room. A million thoughts running through her mind, she composed herself and, anticipating what was awaiting her at the end of the corridor, walked to the throne room.

She knocked on the mahogany doors and upon hearing “come in,” was ushered into the room by the guards. The queen was sitting on her throne, Jane on a chair next to her doing embroidery. “Anne!” The queen exclaimed, the girl immediately dropping into a deep curtsy. 

“You wanted to see me, your majesty?” Anne said, attempting to sound timid. “Yes, I did,” Catalina says. “Go fetch a chair and some fancywork for Lady Anne, will you?” Catalina orders one of the servants lining the walls. In a flurry of movement, a chair is summoned and needlework prepared.

“How are you settling in, dear?” Catalina asks Anne with a smile. “Wonderfully,” Anne responds. “The court is amazing. Lady Jane’s been very kind to me, checking in on me and showing me to places I need to be.” 

“I’m glad to hear that Jane’s taken you under her wing,” Catalina acknowledges, Jane blushing slightly at the mention of her name. Jane’s needle moves swiftly in and out of the exquisite piece of fabric she’s embroidering. “I’m just doing my job, your majesty,” Jane says quietly. “Well, you’re doing your job exceptionally well,” Catalina notes. Jane is crimson now. 

The three women embroider while making small talk, Catalina leading Anne and Jane into a comfortable conversation. “What was France like, Lady Anne?” Jane asks, making a perfect french knot in the center of her little flower. “It was very different from England,” Anne begins. “My father was there with me, so I had to be much more careful with the way I acted around the court, for his friends could report to him about any of my unruly antics.” Catalina laughs softly. “You better not get up to anything,” Catalina scolds mock-sternly, waving her needle in the air. “I promise that I won’t, your majesty,” Anne says, her tone surprisingly sincere.

That night, when Anne retired to her chambers, she couldn’t help but find it hard to plot against Catalina and Jane. They had both been so welcoming and friendly; the complete opposite of what she had thought the royal court members would be like. Anne bit her lip; maybe, just maybe, she could tell them. Maybe she could run away with these two women and go live their own life, somewhere far away from their responsibilities and duties. Somewhere where they could be themselves.

Anne sighs contentedly as she gets lost in her fantasies.

-

Jane was brushing Catalina’s hair out when Henry stumbled into the chamber, reeking of alcohol. The queen stiffens and she quickly shoos Jane out of the room, to which the young lady-in-waiting obliges immediately. “Catalina?” Henry slurs, stumbling over to his wife.

“I’m here,” Catalina responded, helping her husband to bed. “You’ve drunk too much, Henry,” the queen chides, flinching away when the king spits in her face. “You don’t get to say what my limits are!” the king yells, his face red with fury. “You’re just my queen who can’t give me an heir no matter how many times I fuck you!” Catalina recoils, tears pricking in the back of her eyes.

“I’ll leave you be,” the queen whispers. She bobs the furious king a quick curtsy and bolts out of the room, shutting the door in a frenzy. Catalina finds a trembling Jane next to the door, blinking at her queen. “You heard, didn’t you?” Catalina asks. Jane nods, Catalina sighing.

“I’ll need you to go get a room prepared for me, Janey. Can you do that?” Jane nods again, dashing off to find an empty room for the queen. Catalina stands outside her and Henry’s shared bed-chamber, thanking God that she hadn’t taken her robe off yet. 

Catalina leans against the wall, closing her eyes for a second. She knows what the other royals have been saying about her, how she isn’t fit to be queen for she can’t provide the kingdom with a male heir. She knows that Henry hates her for that, too. If there was a way that she could get out of the marriage she was in, she’d seize it in a heartbeat. Catalina is pulled out of her thoughts when Jane gives her a tap on the shoulder, telling her that the room is ready. 

“Thank you, Jane,” Catalina says quietly, as Jane readies the queen for bed. “Just doing my job, your majesty. Are you alright?” Jane frets. “I’m alright, Catalina reassures. “You seem a little shaken, Janey. Are  _ you _ okay?” Jane sighs. “I’m worried about you, your majesty. The king seems more and more insistent on you providing him an heir and I’m just worried for you. Oh. I’m sorry for talking about the king.”

Catalina waves off the girl’s apology. “Don’t fret, Jane. I’ve got a plan.” Jane raises an eyebrow. “What plan, your majesty?” Catalina smirks. “We’re going to run away. I’ve been planning this for a while, now. I refuse to live under Henry’s tyranny any longer.” Jane looks confused. “So what happens after we run away?” Jane asks. “Where do we stay? What happens if we get seen?”

“I’ve got an old house bought near the seaside,” Catalina says. “We’ll disguise ourselves.” Jane still doesn’t look too sure, but one pleading look from the queen seals the deal. “What about Anne?” Jane asks. “We can’t just leave her here.”

“I’ll ask if she wants to come with us tomorrow,” Catalina declares. “We'll leave when we’re sure what Anne’s decision is, okay?” Jane nods, tying off Catalina’s plait. “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a kudo and/or comment if you enjoyed this, you don’t need an AO3 account to do so!
> 
> If you ever want to HMU, here’s [My Tumblr](https://magslikesmusicals.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

Catalina awakens when the morning light filters through the velvet curtains of her temporary accommodation. She blearily sits up in bed, rubbing her eyes; it takes her a moment to remember where she is. 

“Are you awake, your majesty?” Jane asks where she’s knelt beside her. “Yes,” Catalina says, blinking. “About what I said last night; keep it to yourself please, Jane?” Catalina whispers. “O-of course, your majesty,” Jane says hastily. “I won’t say a word to anyone, I promise.” 

Catalina avoids Henry’s eyes all morning. Henry finally corners her as she leaves the throne room for sewing supplies. “Catalina, about last night-” Catalina cuts Henry off with a wave of her hand. “It’s okay, your majesty,” Catalina says. “I understand.” Henry looks relieved. “Oh. That’s good. You can carry on with whatever you want to do now.” 

Catalina sighs once the king is out of earshot. She had to get out of here and fast. 

-

“Did you hear? The queen slept in a different bedroom as the king last night!” Anne’s ears perk up at the information that’s being whispered by the ladies around the table. Anne continues to eat her breakfast quietly, trying to look uninterested in the gossip. Could the queen possibly be getting tired of the king? No, Anne thinks. That would be impossible. The king had treated Catalina so nicely when he had first introduced the queen to Anne. 

Anne couldn’t help but think about all the times she had seen Catalina grow uncomfortable when the king was mentioned. She thought about the whispering about the queen’s inability to produce a male heir. It could be the case…

She decided to ask after the queen’s well-being when she was summoned later that day. “Your majesty,” Anne said, dropping into a deep curtsy. Catalina smiled, gesturing for Anne to get up. “Good afternoon, Anne.” Anne looked around the room she had been called to; it was empty, save for Catalina and Jane, who was fixing some tapestry. Eerie, she thought.

“I would like to ask you something,” Catalina began. “You must not speak of our conversation to anyone, do you hear me?” the queen asked, her eyes burning into Anne’s. “O-of course,” Anne stammered, nodding. “I won’t tell a soul.” 

“You’ve heard about last night, I assume?” Catalina asks.

Anne’s eyes widened. She wanted to lie, but Catalina was staring at her with fierce eyes. “Um- I- Yes, your majesty. I have.” 

Catalina sighs. She makes sure that no-one but Anne and Jane are in the room with herself before beginning her tale. “I know that you’ve only been here with us for a while, but we want to get you out of here, Anne,” Catalina concludes, after retelling the previous night’s events to an open-mouthed Anne. “This is a horrible environment that none of us should grow old in.”

“It’s alright if you don’t wish to come with us,” Jane says quietly. “You mustn't tell anyone though.” Anne opens her mouth wider, then closes it. She ponders telling them this bit of information about herself to the women in the room; she decides to. 

“My father sent me to collect information on the British court,” Anne blurts. “I’ll come with you. I’m sick of being a pawn. No more proving that girls are useful to him; we’ve always had more use to this world than being seductresses and housewives.”

Catalina and Jane look shocked at this new information. Catalina smiles, after a moment. “Very well then. Pack your things. I’ll have Janey meet you at your quarters at midnight. Bring only your valuables and a couple of dresses. We’re going to the countryside, so nothing that’ll draw unwanted attention.” Anne looks at Jane, who gives her a reassuring smile.

“This time tomorrow, we’ll be in the countryside,” Anne says, happy. “We can finally be ourselves.”

-

Anne had a little bag stuffed to the brim with her simplest frocks and the jewelry box her father had given her. She took one last look around the room. You should pack a knife, a thought sprung into her mind. Anne gingerly walked over to her trunk and fished around, pulling out a lightweight dagger with a triumphant grunt. The moonlight filtering through her curtains reflected off the weapon, giving it a gleam. 

She slipped it into the lining of her dress, just like her father had taught her. _Into the folds of your dress_ , her father had said, showing Anne where to put her newly gifted dagger. _Not too close to your chest, but in a position convenient enough to retrieve the knife in case you need to use it._

Anne heard a knock coming from the other side of the door. She whistled a tune; Jane whistled back. They had invented the bird call that afternoon, just in case anyone found out about their plans. Anne gently opened the door to avoid it creaking to find Jane with a piece of tied fabric slung over her shoulder. 

“You ready, Anne?” Jane asked in a hushed tone. Anne nodded, retrieving her slumped bag from the ground. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Anne replied, a determined look in her black orbs. Jane smiled. “Let’s go, then. Lina is waiting for us.” The two of them walked quietly down the hall; Catalina had organized for the guards responsible for their hallway to be somewhere else. 

They approached the kitchens. There was a servant’s exit near here and Catalina was waiting for them outside. Jane slunk into the kitchen, made sure that the coast was clear, and beckoned Anne to follow her. Jane stuffed half a dozen apples into Anne’s bag; Catalina was bringing the water and some dried meat. They would be well-fed for at least three days. 

The two of them slipped through the normally bustling kitchens and approached the servant’s door. Anne could feel the adrenaline pumping in her veins; her heart was thumping hard against her chest.

Jane shakily whistles the tune. Catalina whistles back from the other side.

Anne opens the door. 

“Took you two long enough,” Catalina says. She’s sitting atop her horse. She looks every bit the regal queen. Anne and Jane see an unfamiliar girl sitting on another horse; the girl’s hair is pulled back into a braid, and she’s wearing a dirty blouse and trousers. “This is Maria,” Catalina introduces. “She’s a friend.” The girl gives a lofty wave; Jane and Anne wave back, albeit confusedly. “Anne can ride with Maria. Janey, you come with me. Let’s get out of here.”

Anne scrambles to get onto the black mare that Maria is riding, wrapping her arms awkwardly around Maria’s waist. Jane scrabbles to get onto Catalina’s horse. Once certain that both of Catalina’s ladies in waiting are secure, the two women give their horses a nudge and they take off flying into the night.

Henry finds out the next day. He immediately calls in the butler, ordering for him to send a letter immediately.

“Send for the Cleves girl. Having her nearby was a good idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a kudo and/or comment if you enjoyed this, you don’t need an AO3 account to do so!
> 
> If you ever want to HMU, here’s [My Tumblr](https://magslikesmusicals.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

“We’ll rest here,” Catalina orders, once they enter a forest. Sunlight was filtering through the thick canopy; they had been riding for at least six hours.“We’ve gotten quite far away from the palace.” Maria obliges and halts her steed with a tight pull of the reins. Anne jumps a little at the sudden stop. “Thank you,” Jane says shakily, as Catalina helps her off the horse. Catalina and Maria tie the horses to a tree and give them some water from their own canteens. 

The four women sit under the shade of a leafy tree. Anne passes around the apples that Jane had snagged from the kitchens earlier. Maria cleans the apple with her blouse before taking a hearty bite out of it, the juice running down her chin. “Smart of you to pack this,” Maria remarks, nodding at Anne. “It was Jane’s idea,” Anne says, gesturing towards the said girl. “She just packed it in my bag.” 

Jane blushes. Maria smiles at her. Anne had discovered that Maria was two years older than both Jane and herself when they had been riding earlier, which had been a surprise; the girl was just so agile and youthful. Anne had avoided asking what connection Maria and Catalina had, but Maria had told her herself. 

_“I was Catalina’s lady-in-waiting when she came over to England,” Maria explained, her eyes never leaving the road as she held on to her horses’ reins. “She dismissed me just as the rumors were beginning to spread about how she was infertile and cursed; she said that she needed someone outside the palace to help her escape when she needed to.” Anne had nodded in understanding._

_“What’s your relation to Catalina, then?” Maria asked. “I was her newest lady-in-waiting,” Anne breathed, her heart rate hitching as Maria swerved suddenly. “We, uh, escaped two weeks after I arrived.” Maria made a noise of understanding. “Cool,” she said, snapping the reins. “Hey, can you check if Lina and Jane are still following us?”_

_Anne turned her head a little. Catalina’s horse was trailing their’s; Jane was clutching on for dear life. Anne turned back, settling into the saddle again. “Yeah, they are,” Anne answered. “Jane’s terrified of horses.” Both of them chuckled a little before descending into silence again._

“I’ll start a fire,” Anne suggests. “Let’s go look for some sticks. Jane?” Jane starts a little at the mention of her name but recovers quickly, standing up. “Yes, let’s go get sticks,” Jane repeated. “Don’t go too far!” Catalina calls, as the two women walk deeper into the woods. 

“Thank you for protecting us and for assisting in our escape,” Catalina says, turning to Maria. Maria shrugs her shoulders, taking another bite of her apple. “No need for pleasantries, Lina. I can call you that, right?” Catalina laughs at Maria’s sentence. “You’re allowed, yes. I am technically not the queen of England anymore; no need for formalities, Maria.”

Maria sighs, tossing her apple core into the bushes. “Force of habit, Lina. I’m just glad that you got out of there.” Catalina smiles. “I’m glad, too,” she says softly. 

-

“We’re looking for dry sticks that’ll catch fire easily,” Anne instructs, as the two of them look around the forest floor. Jane holds up a couple of sticks. “Will these do?” she asked, waving them around. Anne walks over and squints. “Yeah, they’ll work.”

“How do you know so much?” Jane wonders aloud. “I’ve read plenty of books on survival,” Anne explains. “My father insisted that I know all about these things, in case I was to end up in the woods because of some wild event.” Jane nods in understanding.

“Hey, how’re you feeling?” Anne asks. “You’ve been awfully quiet since we left.” Jane shrugs. “Palace life is all I’ve ever known,” Jane says quietly. “I’m worried and scared.” Anne sets down the bundle of sticks that she’s collected and wraps her arms around Jane’s trembling shoulders.

“We’ll find a way to make you feel as comfortable as possible,” Anne reassures, rubbing her palm up and down Jane’s back soothingly. “We’ll be fine, Jane.” Jane blinks rapidly. “Thank you,” Jane whispers. Anne pats Jane on the back twice before picking up her stick bundle. “Let’s get back to the others. Maybe a warm fire will help you feel better,” Anne suggests. Jane nods, picking up two more sticks before following Anne back to their campsite.

Jane could’ve sworn that she could hear the distant thunder of hoofbeats. She taps Anne’s shoulder, drawing the other girl’s attention. “Anne,” Jane starts, swallowing nervously. “Anne, can you hear hoofbeats coming from over there?” she asks, pointing behind her. “I think someone’s coming,” Jane adds.

“Quick, let’s go,” Anne says, grabbing Jane’s wrist and running back to Catalina and Maria. “Someone’s coming,” Jane pants breathlessly when they get back to a very confused Lina and Maria. “We heard hoofbeats. They were distant, but-”

“Shh!” Maria hisses. She cranes her neck, crouching into the grass. “Someone’s riding horseback. They’re approaching; damn it.” 

Anne instinctively reaches for her dagger, keeping a hand on her ribcage. She can feel the lump that is the handle nestled against the folds of her dress; she would be fine if someone attacked her. Jane is trembling, standing next to Catalina and trying to make herself as small as possible. 

The telltale clip-clop is getting louder by the second. Maria is breathing heavily, an arrow pulled from her quiver and strung into her bow. Catalina has an arm wrapped protectively around Jane’s shoulders. Catalina's muttering a prayer under her breath, hoping that it was anyone but a member of the king’s guard.

“Hello?” a voice calls. Anne notes that it’s accented; a German accent, if her ears aren’t lying. “Hello?!” the voice says again. Anne can tell that this person probably isn’t an English native, judging by the way their o’s are pronounced. The figure finally comes into view; it turns out to be a woman riding on a horse with a mane as dark as night. “Oh!” she exclaims when she notices the four women. “I mean no harm.”

Maria lowers her bow and arrow. Anne removes her hand from her ribcage. Jane loosens. Catalina stops praying.

“I’m Anna of Cleves, and I’ve been separated from my party. I need help getting to the palace.”


	5. Chapter 5

Catalina was the one to break the silence. “Yes, hello. Are you by any chance headed to the Tudor court?” Anna nods vigorously. “I am, yes. I’m to become the new queen.” Jane and Anne exchange a worried glance. “Well,” Catalina says, clearing her throat, “I think that we should tell Anna here about what or more specifically, who we’re running from.”

Maria sighs. “We’re running from Henry the eighth. You’re looking at your predecessor.” Anna’s eyes widen. “Y-your majesty!” Anna exclaims, curtsying. “That’s why you looked so familiar.”

Catalina shakes her head. “No,” Catalina says. “I am no longer the queen. We suggest that you come with us, Anna. It’s dangerous in court. Henry is a dangerous man who should not be in power.” 

Anna frowns. “Now that you put it that way, I do recall my mother telling me that this marriage was sheerly arranged to benefit the relations between Germany and England. He had me living in one of his manors; he called for me the second you disappeared, your majesty.” Catalina sighs. So Henry had been looking to get rid of her when he decided that she was useless. She would not let another girl suffer her fate.

“Come with us, Anna. We’ll find you a place,” Jane cut in. “I’ve known nothing but my palace life, but Catalina still agreed to bring me with her. If you wish to come, I could give you one of my dresses. We’ll live a life free from the confines of prying eyes.” 

Anna considers this for a moment. 

“I’ll come with you,” she decides. Anne and Jane exchange smiles; Catalina nods solemnly and motions for Jane to give Anna one of her gowns to change into. Maria eyes Anna a little skeptically, but whatever Catalina’s okay with she’s okay with. Anna and Jane head behind some trees for privacy.

“If that hadn’t been Anna, we’d be on our way back to the castle as prisoners,” Anne remarks. Maria swats her arms. “Don’t be such a pessimist,” Maria chides. 

“Hey, I was just listing an alternate scenario,” Anne grumbles. “Come with me. Let’s pick some berries,” Maria sighs, putting her arrow back into its quiver. "Terrain around her looks good enough; I swear I saw some fruit around here somewhere-"

“Why?” Anne asks, cutting Maria off. “We’ve got loads of food."

“There’s a whole extra person with us now. We packed food for a party of four,” Maria deadpans, her eyes narrowed. “Now come on. Do you want to know about poisonous berries or not?” Anne, always up for learning, trails after the older woman. 

-

“Thank you,” Anna says, as Jane hands her a brown dress. “You’re welcome,” Jane mumbles. “What you said earlier, is it true that you haven’t left the palace at all? You said that you’ve known nothing but palace life,” Anna brings up, trying to get some conversation going as she changes. 

Jane takes a deep breath. Should she share her entire life story with this princess that she barely knows? Who even asks that at their first meeting anyway? Jane silently curses herself for drawing attention to herself earlier. 

“It’s complicated,” Jane shrugs. “I’ve hardly ever seen anything outside of the palace walls. All of this,” she gestures to the woods and shrubbery around her, “is new to me.” Anna nods sympathetically. “That sounds awful,” Anna sighed, unlacing her corset. 

“It’s not like I can do anything about it,” Jane pointed out. “That’s the whole reason why I agreed to run with Catalina, anyway; I’m sick of not being in control of my own life.” Jane sits down on a rock, self-consciously fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. “All my life I’ve been treated as nothing but a servant; not a person, a servant. It wasn’t until Catalina came did I start to realize that I didn’t have to apologize for breathing too loudly,” Jane remarks bitterly.

“Oh,” Anna mumbles, as she shimmies into the brown dress. “I’m sorry for asking.” Jane plays with a lock of blonde hair, twisting it around her index finger. “No, it’s alright. Do I need to address you with any formal terms?” Anna’s eyes widen to twice their usual size. “Oh heavens no! If I’m going to be living with you, we should best be on equal terms. Just Anna is fine, Jane.” 

“Are you nervous being out in the wild like this?” Jane blurts. Anna laughs a little and shakes her head. “No. I went hunting all the time back in Germany. My mother disapproved but I snuck out sometimes at night to go riding. Felix and I, we’re best friends. That’s my horse, by the way. Oh, can you help me to do up my corset?”

Jane immediately jumps up from the rock and pulls on the leather strings, doing up the corset carefully; not too tight, but tight enough to give the wearer a little figure. “Oof- Thank you,” Anna says, sounding slightly winded. “I’m ready, now; I sure took my sweet time,” Anna adds, as an afterthought. “Let’s go,” Jane says, grinning. “I have a feeling that we’ll get along wonderfully well.”

-

“You see these? They look like you can eat them, right?” Maria asks, crouching down to hold up a plant. Anne nods, bending to her knees and waddling over to Maria. “Yeah. I mean, they look like elderberries. The color’s the same.” Maria raises an eyebrow at her.

“You’re obviously not observant enough,” Maria scoffs. “The stems of elderberries are red. These? They’re green.” Anne’s eyes widen in understanding. “Oh my God, you’re right,” Anne echoes. “They are green.” Anne’s eyes dart across the forest until she finds red-stemmed berries. “Elderberries!” Anne cries, rushing forward in triumph. 

“Look, you’re learning,” Maria acknowledges, a proud glint in her eye. Maria produces a pouch from the utility belt at her waist and hands it to Anne. “Here. Pick some and take ‘em back,” Maria orders. Anne takes the pouch and begins plucking berries from the stems, making sure not to accidentally make elderberry juice. Maria whistles an old tune from Spain as she watches Anne work.

“That sounds good,” Anne remarks, as she pops a berry into her mouth. “I like it. Where’d you learn that from?” 

Maria smiles. 

(Anne sees layers upon layers of emotion in that smile; melancholy, sentiment, and a tinge of excitement. Anne had learned to read emotions during her private lessons back in France; it had been important to realize when her governess was going to blow her top, you see. Anne used to pester her governess by asking her stupid question after stupid question just to pass the time. 

Mme. Poisson had a short fuse, to say the least.)

“Spain,” Maria says simply. 

“Do you miss it?” Anne asks as she stands up. “Spain, I mean. I miss France, sometimes. It’s not home but it feels more like it than England does. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to leave your home country. I mean, I can, but-” 

Maria cuts her off with a dismissive wave.

“Both Catalina and I miss it,” Maria sighs. “Anyone who is away from home is bound to miss their country. But we’ve got to learn how to deal with homesickness.” 

Anne hands the pouch of berries back to Maria. “Yeah, we do, don’t we?" Anne sighs. 

Maria tugs on the strings of the pouch and watches as it closes up. She ties the strings to her utility belt and motions for Anne to follow her. “Let’s get back to Lina. She’ll be waiting.” 

Catalina insists that they all eat again before they set off. Maria hands the pouch over to Jane, who takes a few berries out of it and pops them into her mouth. Anna and Anne break a stick of dried meat, while Catalina eats another apple. They pass around a canteen and take turns drinking out of it. When they’re done, Catalina sticks the canteen into her bag and climbs onto Valencia, her horse. Jane struggles a little but manages to settle into Valencia’s saddle. 

Anna swings onto Felix easily with a grin. Anne climbs into the saddle with Maria’s help, and they set off in the direction of Catalina’s countryside estate. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, sorry for going MIA! I was working on some chapters and forgot to post, haha. Anyways, here's the new chapter!

It’s been a month since their escape from the palace. A month since they ran away. A month since they met Anna and Maria. A month since they’ve been living in Catalina’s countryside estate, and Anne Boleyn is, for the first time in her life, well and truly happy. 

Catalina’s estate is moderately sized. Her room has a nice view of a pond. Catalina has people hired to keep the estate in order, and they have food delivered to their doorstep every Monday of the week. Anna is fitting in nicely, as she can now do whatever she pleases. Anna and Catalina spend a lot of time riding together in the afternoons. Anne’s been learning how to ride Midnight, Maria’s horse; Maria’s very patient with her. Jane comes sometimes too when she’s not squirreled away in her room reading. 

About Jane; the girl had asked Anne to help her with her reading. Anne had agreed to help in a heartbeat; they had sessions after lunch every day. All in all, Anne was having a wonderful time with her newfound freedom. The flora and fauna near Catalina’s estate were wonderful; woodland creatures were crawling in every nook and cranny of the forest. 

Oh, and they’d found a little runaway. Her name was Katherine Howard and Anna had found her when she’d headed into town two weeks ago. The girl had still yet to warm up to them fully; she shied away from Catalina like the woman had the plague. Not that Anne could blame her; Catalina was a little intimidating.

Anne, however, had recognized Kitty’s name from one of her father’s letters which she had read without his permission and taken the girl under her wing. The girl was her cousin, but Kitty was a good six years younger than her.

Speaking of Kitty, the seventeen-year-old was currently curled up on Anne’s bed reading. Kitty had refused to tell Anne, Maria, Anna, or Jane about what she had run from; no matter how talkative she had been before the subject was brought up, she just wouldn’t let any information slip about her life before Anna had rescued her. Anne decided not to push it; Kitty would tell them in due time. 

“What’re you reading, Kitty?” Anne inquires, sitting down next to her cousin. “Poetry,” Kitty mumbles, her eyes not leaving the book in her hands. “Is it any good?” Anne asks. “It’s alright,” Kitty says. “Not the best with the vocabulary but it’s alright. How was your ride with Maria?” Anne flops onto her bed. “It was really fun. We saw a family of ducks.”

Kitty perks up at that. “Ducks?” Anne nods enthusiastically. “Yeah. They were really cute, just swimming in the pond. Kitty closes her book of poetry, stands up, and crosses the room. “Where’re you going?” Anne calls, as Kitty leaves the room. “To ask Maria about ducks!” Kitty yells back. “I’ll go riding with you guys tomorrow! I want to see the ducks!” Anne smiles fondly as her cousin runs down the stairs to where Maria’s having tea.

-

“Maria!” Kitty calls, rushing down the stairs two at a time. “Maria, did you see the ducks? Anne said that you did!” Maria looks up from her plate of sandwiches and tea to see Kitty skidding to a stop in the drawing-room, her skirts flying and her auburn hair a mess. “Yes, I did,” Maria says, motioning for Kitty to sit down next to her. Kitty’s eyes light up with delight. “I love ducks! They’re adorable. Can you take me tomorrow?” 

Maria smiles and hands Kitty a sandwich. “I’ll take you, sure.” Kitty takes the sandwich happily and pops it into her mouth. Maria asks a servant to fetch her another teacup; it looks like Kitty will join her for tea today. The servant quickly reappears with the teacup and a saucer; Maria thanks the servant girl and dismisses her. 

Maria pours out a cup of zesty earl grey, Kitty sniffing the air with barely concealed delight. Maria sets the cup before Kitty and the girl takes it with a word of thanks “I take my tea with two cubes of sugar and a little milk,” Kitty says aloud, as she adds said condiments into her tea. “Isn’t that a little too sweet?” Maria asks, watching Kitty as she passive-aggressively stirred in the sugar. 

(Maria took her tea plain. She used to take it with three cubes of sugar when she was with Catalina in the palace, but after she left, she cut the condiments. Anything that wasn’t necessary for survival, in her eyes, was useless.)

“No,” Kitty shrugs, holding her teacup with her pinky pointed. “I like it sweet.” Kitty takes a sip of her tea, sets the cup down onto its saucer, and picks up another sandwich.“You’re settling in well, aren’t you?” Maria brings up, as Kitty crams the ham sandwich into her mouth. “Have you enjoyed the past two weeks?”

“I think that I’m settling in well. I’ve enjoyed the last two weeks very much,” Kitty says shyly, once her mouth is no longer full of ham and bread. “I might sound bootlicky while saying this but I’m very grateful that you all welcomed me into your household with open arms.” Kitty’s face promptly reddens after she speaks her mind. 

Maria pats Kitty’s messy hair. She’s not soft like this around the others, but Maria’s found that she’s comfortable with displaying affection around Kitty. “You don’t sound bootlicky at all, Kit. I have noticed that you’re a little uncomfortable around Catalina, though. Is there a reason behind this? You do not need to tell me if you do not wish to.” Kitty shifts a little in her seat. “She’s...intimidating, to say the least,” she says, not taking her eyes off of her lap.

“Ah. Catalina is surely a work of art, is she not? And I can imagine that living under the same roof as the former queen of England is quite stressful, yes?” Maria laughs, giving Kitty a reassuring pat on the leg. “Don’t worry, Kath. She’s not as bad as she looks. I was intimidated by her when I first became her lady-in-waiting, and I can assure you that she’s all bark with no bite.”

Kitty giggles a little at the prospect of Catalina biting people but quickly composes herself. “Alright. I’ll try talking to her later,” Kitty mumbles, turning back to her tea. “Oh! Another thing, Maria. I was in the kitchens today and I heard gossip that King Henry’s planning on getting married to Catherine Parr. D’you know anything about it?”

Maria blanches. “Catherine Parr, you say?” Maria asks, her voice shaking slightly. Kitty nods earnestly. “Uh-huh! I feel so bad for her. She’s only twenty-something years old. She’s barely older than me.” Maria shakily sets down her teacup and stands up. “Kitty, I need to go talk to Catalina about something. I might not be able to rejoin you later, but I’ll do my best to, alright?” Kitty pouts a little but kisses Maria on the cheek, watching with worry as the woman hastily leaves the drawing-room.

-

“Cathy is in danger,” Maria announces grimly, storming into Catalina’s chambers. Catalina jumps up from where she’s been fixing her hair. “How so?” Catalina asks frantically, concerned for her goddaughter. “Kitty heard through the grapevine that Cathy’s to be married off to Henry,” Maria says. Catalina’s eyes widen in horror and she presses a finger to her temple. “I’m feeling faint,” the woman mumbles. Maria is quick to catch Catalina and takes the woman to her bed.

“Cathy is marrying Henry Tudor,” Catalina says slowly, unbelieving. “Well, Kitty heard the servants talking about it earlier. We’re not sure yet but I thought that you should know, Catalina.” Catalina gulps and realizes that her breathing has gone slightly ragged. “ _ Mierda _ ,” Catalina swears. “Okay. I’ll write Cathy later-”

“No, you absolutely cannot,” Maria says sternly. Catalina raises an eyebrow at Maria. “You really can’t, Catalina,” Maria pleads. “Everyone thinks that you’re dead or missing. If the wrong person gets ahold of the letter, we’ll all be in trouble.” Catalina considers this for a moment before sighing loudly, massaging her temple with her fingers. “Alright, then. I’ll listen to you, Maria. Anna’s going into town tomorrow, isn’t she, so I’ll ask her if she can hang around the taverns and get us some more information on Cathy’s whereabouts.” Maria is about to protest, but Catalina silences her friend with a glare. “I’ll talk to Anna later,” Maria says in defeat. Catalina nods, satisfied. “Good. We need to get Cathy out of there.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm currently working on the last chapter of the first arc. The first arc is more the origin arc while the next arc will be centered around fighting against Henry's tyranny. The first arc consists of chapters 1-10, so we're almost there, folks! The second arc will be chapters 10-20, though I will be taking a month-long break between arcs to plan out chapters. 
> 
> Thank you for reading Murky Waters, and enjoy chapter 7!

Anna closes her eyes. If she tries hard enough, she might feel like she’s in the German forests again, surrounded by the familiar scent of pine and grass. She sniffs the air; there’s hardly any of the sweet aromas of pine needles. Instead, the leathery scent of birch trees pierces through her nostrils. Anna’s eyes flutter open, and she sighs loudly. She misses Germany so much; the things she wouldn’t do to get back. 

The sun is starting to set. The golden hue of the sky reminds her that it’s about time she gets back to the others. She gives Felix a little nudge in the direction of the house and Felix immediately begins galloping at a leisurely pace, just like they used to back home. Anna loves living with Catalina; the woods surrounding the mansion are just so beautiful and lush that Anna can’t help but go riding once a day, preferably during the afternoons. 

She approaches the stables and deftly climbs from Felix’s saddle. Anna takes the reins and leads Felix back into his stable, giving her beloved horse water and grain. Anna pat Felix’s muzzle gently, the warm breath of her horse comforting her. “I’ll be back tomorrow, alright? Get some rest,  _ liebling _ .” Felix neighs and Anna grins, properly latching Felix’s stall before leaving the stables with a spring in her step. 

Anna knocks on the door, answers the question that the doorman asks, and steps into the house. Catalina had developed a system so that the door would only open to people who knew the code word of the day, or people who were actually welcome here. Anna takes off her riding boots by the door and steps into her slippers, making her way up to her quarters; she wants to freshen up before dinner.

Anna is halfway up the stairs when she suddenly hears Jane call for her. “Yes?” Anna responds, turning to see Jane running up to the foot of the staircase. “Catalina’s called a group meeting,” Jane says loudly. “We’re to meet her in the drawing-room in five minutes,” Anna says a couple of choice words in German, while Jane looks at her with confusion written all over her pale face. “Right,” Anna says, recomposing herself. “I’ll be down in a bit. I want to change out of this,” Anna gestures to her riding gear, “first.” 

Jane nods, smiling. “Alright, then. I’ll see you in the drawing-room in five!” Jane waves and leaves, walking in the direction of Catalina’s drawing-room. Anna mutters a barely audible “ _ scheiße _ ” under her breath and rushes up to her room to get changed.

She has a meeting to attend.

-

Catalina was sitting rather impatiently in the drawing-room, Jane in the armchair next to her. Anne was drumming her feet on the floor while Kitty was squished between her cousin and Maria, pressing against Anne’s side. “I called for Anna,” Jane says quietly. “She should be here soon.” Catalina nodded solemnly, all five of them eagerly awaiting the arrival of the German princess as the meeting would then commence. 

Anna arrives a minute later, her hair slightly disheveled and her corset laced only halfway, but it’s her presence that counts. “Sorry to keep you all waiting,” she says, before sinking into a plush armchair. Catalina stands up and rubs her palms against each other. 

“Right,” Catalina says, addressing the room. “I’ve called you all here as it has come to my attention that my goddaughter is in danger.” Everyone immediately sits up attentively, their eyes not leaving Catalina’s form. “We’ve got a hunch that Catherine Parr is to be married off to Henry Tudor. When, I don’t know, but we must get to her before anything happens.” 

Anne raises her hand. “We’ve already got a bounty on our heads,” she points out. “Is it really safe for us to travel to court again just for the sake of the king’s latest obsession? We don’t even know if this Catherine Parr really is going to be married, anyways. I don’t want any of us to be beheaded or killed for treason.” 

Murmurs of agreement sweep through the room. Catalina exhales through her nostrils. Maria can tell that Catalina is very close to having a full mental breakdown in front of everyone and hastily stands up, Kitty looking surprised at the sudden loss of body warmth. 

“It’ll just be me and Catalina and anyone else who wants to go,” Maria says firmly. “We won’t make anyone come with us if they don’t want to.” Anne looks like she wants to protest, but Maria minutely shakes her head. “Catherine is very special to Catalina,” Maria explains. “We don’t want any other women suffering at the fate of Henry the eighth.” 

“I understand,” Anne concedes, feeling a little guilty. “But do we ever stop? Do we save every single potential woman that Henry takes as his new spouse?” Jane swallows hard. 

“Do we, Catalina?” Jane asks, shifting in her armchair. “We can’t keep saving every single person we come across that’s living in dire conditions. The easiest way to solve the issue would be to overthrow Henry, but we’re not strong enough, are we?”

Catalina’s brain stops processing Jane’s sentence at “overthrow Henry.” “That’s it,” Catalina says, a small smile creeping onto her face. “What’s it?” Kitty asks, speaking up for the first time since the meeting began. “We overthrow Henry,” Catalina trills, smiling. She’s met with silence and a couple of semi-enthusiastic shrugs. 

“I mean, nothing’s impossible,” Anna admits, shrugging. “But we’ll need a bigger army than the six of us.” Catalina’s face falls. “Right,” Catalina mutters to herself, sinking back into her chair. “Anyways,” Catalina says, composing herself. “We need Anna to go into the village tomorrow to see if the news regarding Cathy is real or not.’ Anna’s eyes bulge. “You need me?” Anna asks, pointing at herself in disbelief. “Yes,” Maria says firmly. “We need you to be our eyes and ears for this mission.” Anna frowns. “But why? I thought you said that only the two of you would be involved.”

“Because no one recognises you,” Catalina explains. “We’ve all been in this country for a majority of our lives. You, however, just arrived in England two months ago. That dramatically lowers our chances of being caught. Besides, you’ve got wonderful eavesdropping skills. No sarcasm, by the way.” Anna flushes a little at the memory of herself being caught overhearing a conversation Maria and Catalina had had about Kitty around a week ago.

“Are you sure that it’s not dangerous to throw Anna into the line of fire like that?” Kitty asks with a frown on her face. “After all, she is supposed to be dead.” Catalina, her ladies in waiting, and Anna had been declared dead by the king himself. A funeral had been held for the four of them.

Jane shushes her, but Kitty ignores Jane with a huff. “I assure you that I’ll be there the whole time, hiding in the shadows,” Maria says. “We just need Anna to go to a tavern or hotel and get us the vital information that we need on Cathy’s whereabouts.” Kitty, Jane, and Anne look satisfied with this answer.

“Fine,” Anna says, after a minute’s silence. “I’ll do it. But only because this’ll help with the joint effort of living normal, peaceful lives,  _ ja _ ?” Catalina lets out a sigh of relief and awkwardly gives Anna a hug for her effort. The others stand up and make to move for the dining room when Jane suddenly speaks up. 

“Wait,” Jane asks, halting everyone’s movements. “What happens after Anna finds out about Cathy? What if Cathy is to become the next queen of England? What do we do then, hmm?” Catalina looks at Maria helplessly, who quickly jumps in. “I reckon that Catty and I’ll try to whisk Cathy out of danger,” Maria says. “None of you need to be involved if you don’t want to like I said.”

“Well, what if you both get caught?” Anne says nervously. “That’s not going to end well for any of us.” Catalina sighs, shaking her head. “We won’t be,” Catalina says firmly. “And besides, we’re not even sure if Cathy’s to be married off to Henry anyways. What we need now is for Anna to go into town and get us some information.” 

The six women in the room decide that that’s a good enough answer to their queries and make their way to dinner, Catherine Parr nagging at the back of their minds. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for disappearing but I've got the entire first arc finished; those chapters will come out later!!

“Ask good, succinct questions,” Catalina reminds, fastening Anna’s riding cloak. “Maria will be behind you the entire time. Whistle if you need anything.” Anna nods and smiles at Catalina, gracefully climbing on to Felix and gracefully settling into her darling horse’s saddle. “Thank you,” Anna says.

Maria and Catalina exchange an embrace before Maria swings onto her horse too, patting Midnight’s black coat affectionately. “We should set off,” Maria says. “We need to get there by nightfall, as the taverns will be most crowded then.” It was currently midday, and the nearest village was three to four hours away on horseback. They needed to spend the night at the inn, so Anna had packed nightclothes for both Maria and herself. Maria had snacks in a pouch tied to her utility belt; they would be alright.

“Yes, I think that we should,” Anna agrees. “Godspeed!” Catalina yells after them, as they take off galloping into the distance. “D’you think that they’ll be alright? Jane asks, sidling next to Catalina. “Of course they will,” Catalina says. “Who do you think they are, Janey?” 

Jane shrugs, picking at her nails. “I’m worried, you know? It’s not like I don’t want to save Cathy, but we’ll have to go to the palace and pull her from Henry’s grasp, and you know how the king is. He’s got to already be furious with how we’ve all disappeared from under his nose, Anna included. I’m so nervous about this whole affair, Catalina-”

Catalina puts her hands on Jane’s shoulders firmly. “We’ll be fine, Janey,” Catalina says. “Repeat after me.” Jane nods shakily. “W-we’ll be fine,” Jane repeats. “We’ll be fine.” Catalina smiles and pulls Jane into a hug. Jane reciprocates the gesture by awkwardly putting her arms around Catalina. The two women stay like that for a while; Catalina shielding Jane from the worries of the world, Jane comfortable in Catalina’s presence. 

-

The ride to the village of Aoder is mostly silent. Maria trails a few feet behind Anna, who is taking the chance to admire the wonderful scenery passing by. “Anna!” Maria calls. Anna pulls on Felix’s reins, and the horse stops immediately. “What?” Anna responds, watching as Midnight trots up to her. Anna was a little weary around Maria. After all, the two of them had never really gotten the chance to bond as Jane and Anne had. 

“Here,” Maria says, tossing Anna an apple. Anna catches it with ease and bites into it gratefully; she had been getting a little hungry. “How much longer do you reckon until we reach town?” Anna asks, her mouth full of fruit. “An hour and a half,” Maria shrugs. Anna gives Felix a gentle nudge and the horse starts trotting again, at a leisurely pace.

“Shall we continue?” Anna asks, finishing her apple in quick succession. “Yes,” Maria answers. Anna nods and snaps the reins. Felix begins moving faster, until he is galloping away. Maria grins and follows Anna, but with a respectable distance between the two of them so that they would not be thought to be travelling together. 

Maria finds herself admiring the German princess’s resilience. The girl was all alone in a new country and had no-one to turn to, but even so, Anna of Cleves showed so much bravery and kindness. According to Jane, Anna had been the one to reassure her when Jane had confided in the German princess regarding her fears about being alone in the outside world. 

If only she had been that brave when she had first arrived in England. 

They arrive in town just as the sun sets. “Our timing? Immaculate,” Anna whispers under her breath, slowing Felix to a trot. Maria was following, but not too close. Anna rides to the village inn, climbing off of Felix and handing the horse off to one of the stable boys. She looks over her shoulder, sees Midnight’s black coat approaching, and decides to head into the tavern, walking with a confident swagger. 

The swinging sign above her head reads Aoder Inn. Anna approaches the slightly beat-down door with apprehension; there’s a cobweb on the doorframe that she pretends not to see. Nightfall in Aoder is a loud affair, Anna learns. Children are wreaking havoc in the streets, dinner bells are ringing everywhere, and both men and women alike are closing shop, running home for dinner, or heading to the tavern. A cough from behind her snaps Anna out of the trance she’s in and reminds her to open the door. Anna turns around, gives the burly man an apologetic smile, and wrenches the door open with a gloved hand; the bell jangles, signaling her arrival to the owner inside. 

“A room for one, please,” Anna says, walking up to the reception. “You got your husband with you?” the receptionist asks, looking over the German princess’s shoulder. “No,” says Anna, shaking her head. “I am travelling alone.” 

The receptionist raises an eyebrow but gives Anna a key anyway, counting carefully the coins that Anna slides across the counter. “Go up two flights of stairs,” the man says gruffly, gesturing to the stairwell behind him. “Second room on the right.” 

Anna thanks him with a smile and heads up to her room. She sees Maria enter just as she climbs the last step of the stairs and watches her move to the bar. Anna moves quickly for the second flight of stairs; she needs to get to the bar as soon as possible. Time is ticking. 

-

Maria is nestled away in a corner of the tavern, a mug of ale in her hands. The table in front of her is sticky with spilled alcoholic substances and what she suspects is blood from a previous altercation. She watches as Anna walks in and sits at the bar. The German princess orders and slides a coin across the table. Anna gets a mug of something in return. 

Maria sees Anna lean back in her chair and take a sip of the alcohol in the mug. One of the men around the bar starts talking about the latest news on the royal court and Anna pricks up in attention. 

“King’s cursed,” the man declares. “First Queen Catalina dies, then that princess from Germany to come replace her dies as well, still without a male heir to the throne! We’re lacking princesses so badly that the King’s settled on a girl who’s already been married twice.” 

“Married twice?” Maria mutters under her breath.” That’s got to be Cathy.” Cathy had gotten married at thirteen to a respectable man, but Thomas had died of illness two months after. Cathy had gone into a mourning period, but her parents had arranged for her to marry another man just a year after she had been widowed. John had been next but he had divorced Cathy four years after their marriage. 

“Twice married, you say?” Anna asks, leaning forwards. “Aye,” the man responds. “Why’d you like to know? You’re a girl yourself, ain'tcha?” Anna laughs heartily along with the rest of the people by the bar. “I am, yes. I was just curious. Now, who is this lucky maiden who’s been chosen as the next Queen?” Anna says wittily, focusing back on Cathy. “I heard that it was a Parr,” the barmaid says, serving a plate of pie to the man that Anna had just been talking to. “The coronation and wedding’s in a month if you want to go.” Anna beams and thanks the woman and man for their help, drinks a couple more beers, before excusing herself to her room. Maria slips out as well, stealthily making her way up to the second room on the right.

-

“So it is Cathy, then,” Catalina says resignedly, as Anna announces the news. The two women had spent the night at the pub and left at the crack of dawn, racing back to the house to tell Catalina the news. Catalina sighs and begins pulling out parchment and an inkwell; Maria stops her with a firm hand.

“You can’t write Cathy,” Maria says, gently taking the letter-writing equipment away. “We’ll need to contact someone in the palace, but it needs to be someone we can trust. We’ll have that person contact Cathy and instruct Cathy on where she needs to be during the whole plan, okay?” Catalina nods, but her eyes are glassy. “I can’t let him hurt her,” she simply says.

“We won’t let anything happen to Cathy,” Anna promises. “We’ll do whatever we can.” Catalina smiles gratefully. “Thank you, Anna,” Catalina whispers. “Thank you.”

-

“We need to find a way to reach someone that we can trust inside the palace,” Catalina announces. She’s called for another meeting and everyone is a little more nervous after learning that King Henry is planning to marry again. “I know someone,” Jane says quietly. Everyone turns to her, and she flushes immediately.

“Joan Astley,” Jane mumbles. “She’s a good friend of mine.” 

“How are we sure that this Joan won’t betray us?” Maria asks gently. She knows that Jane is a sensitive soul and easy to upset, but she needs to address this potential issue. “She would never,” Jane promises. Catalina and Anna exchange looks; Jane could be naive sometimes. “We don’t have another way, do we?” Anne pipes up. “Joan is our only way into the palace right now. If we want to save Cathy, we might as well try. It's our only hope.”

“Very well,” Catalina sighs. “Jane, write Joan. Sign it something that only she would know.” Jane brightens and nods, immediately standing up. “Thank you! I’ll go do it now.” She bustles out of the room.

Catalina hopes that this plan works. It’s their last resort to getting Cathy out of the palace safely. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please drop a kudo and/or comment if you enjoyed this, you don’t need an AO3 account to do so!
> 
> If you ever want to HMU, here’s [My Tumblr](https://magslikesmusicals.tumblr.com/)


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